She Slapped the Disabled Mafia Boss in His Own Mansion—Then the Nurse Pulled Two Pills From Her Pocket

Carlo Valenti had been dead for two years.

At least according to the family.

Nicholas was getting tired of dead relatives who refused to stay dead.

Claire explained that Carlo had faked his death, kept control through shell companies, and owned Lake Briar. Rebecca had hidden the ledger before the crash, so Carlo kept her alive hoping she would reveal it.

Nicholas felt the room narrow.

"And my accident?"

Claire began crying, and this time the tears looked real.

"I was told you would be hurt. Not paralyzed."

Nicholas stared at her.

Hannah stopped breathing.

"You knew about the crash?"

"They wanted you dependent. Vulnerable. Easy to replace. Carlo said nobody would follow a man who couldn't stand."

Nicholas's voice became almost too quiet to hear.

"Who changed my medication?"

Claire closed her eyes.

"I did."

The confession landed without drama.

No one moved.

"Why?" Hannah asked.

Claire looked at Nicholas.

"Because every time you improved, Carlo threatened my father. Then he threatened me. Then he showed me photographs of my younger sister leaving school."

Nicholas's anger changed shape.

"You could have told me."

"And trusted the man everyone says solves problems by burying them?"

Nicholas flinched.

Claire laughed through tears.

"You wanted me to believe you were different from your father. I didn't know if you were."

Hannah thought about Nicholas on the floor beneath Claire's raised hand.

Fear explained many things.

It did not excuse them.

Vincent interrupted.

"We traced the call from Rebecca."

Everyone turned.